Ball-racking device for pool-tables.



W. T. HAIGHT.

BALL BACKING DEVICE FOR POOL TABLES.

APPLICATION .FILED FEB. 2!, I9 I6- Patented July 3, 1917.

2 SHEETSiSHEET I.

y W, T. HAIGHT. BALL mcxmfs DEVICE FOR POOL TABLES.

APPLICATION -FILED FEB- 21. 1916- V Patented July 3, 1917.

2 SHEETSSHEET 2 W/ 7/VZ'5555 UNTTED" @TATEfi PATENT @FFTQE.

WILLIAM THOMPSON I-IAIGrI-IT, OF ST. THOMAS, ONTARIO, CANADA.

BALL-Rankine nnvronron POOL-TABLES.

earner.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that 1, WILLIAM THOMPSON HAIGI-rr, of the city of St. Thomas, in the county of Elgin, in the Province of Ontario, Canada, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Ball-Racking Devices for Pool-Tables, of which the following is the specification.

My invention relates to improvements in ball racking devices for pool tables and the object of the invention is to devise simple means for directing each ball from the pocket to the rack shelf corresponding to the player of the ball after he has played such ball and it consists of the following arrangement and construction of parts as hereinafter more particularly explained by the following specification.

Figure 1, is a plan view of a pool table frame showing the slate removed.

Fig. 2, is a side elevation of apool table with my ball racking device applied thereto.

Fig. 3, is a longitudinalsection through Fig. 1.

Fig. 4, is an end elevation of the pool table and my ball racking device.

In the drawings like letters ofreference indicate corresponding parts in each figure.

1 indicates the frame of a pool table, the slate being removed therefromin Fig. 1. 2, 3, 4, 5, 6 and 7 indicate the usual pockets supported by the frame. 9 indicates a tubular duct extending longitudinally and located centrally of the table beneath the slate. The tubular duct 9 is slightly inclined downwardly toward the left hand end of the table. 10, 11, 12, 13, 14 and 15 indicate tubular ducts extending from each ball pocket 5, 6 and 7 and merging into the tubular duct 9 in curved form so as to direct the ball passing from the pocket through such ducts down the inclined main tubular duct 9.

It will be noticed on referring particularly to Fig. 2 that the ducts leading into the main duct 9 are also slightly inclined downwardly toward such main duct.

15 indicates a swingable extension to the main duct 9. Such extension 15 is provided with a lip 16 at its inner end which passes beneath the lower end of the tubular duct 9 and is secured thereto by a pivot bolt 17, such pivot bolt being provided with a squared lower end 18. 19 indicates an arm secured tothe squared lower end 18. 20 indicates a leverswingably supported inter- Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed February 21, 1916. Serial No. 79,669.

mediately of its length on a depending pivot bearing 21. The lever 20 is provided with a forked lower end 22 engaging a pin 23 extending vertically through the free end of the arm 19. The opposite end of the lever 20 is provided with a pin 24 similar to the pin 23. p

25 indicates a lever swingably mounted on a depending bearing 26 and also provided at its lower end with a fork-27 engaging the pin 24. The opposite end of the lever 25 is provided with a socket 28. 29 indicates a slot formed in the end bar forming the right hand end of the frame 1 of the pool table, such slot being provided with notches 30 in its outer wall. These notches correspond to the number of players designed to play on the table and are numbered to correspond with the players. 31 indicates an L-shaped lever handle fitting at its lower end into the socket 28, its upwardly extending portion extending through the slot 29 being provided with a knob 32 by which it may be operated. 33 indicates a lug extending outwardly from the upwardly extending portion of the lever handle 31 and fitting into the notches 30 when brought opposite the same. 34 indicates the ball rack provided with shelves 35, 36, 37, 38 and 39 corresponding to the number of players. 40 indicates an arcshaped trough into which the swingable extension 15 of the tubular duct 9 extends.

41, 42, 43, 44 and 45 indicate orifices formed in the trough 4O opposite which the open end of theextension 15 is designed to be carried. 46 indicates a tubular duct leading from the orifice 41 r to the orifice 47 formed in the-back wall of the pool rack at the upper end of the upper inclined shelf 35.

48, 49, 50'and 51 indicate similar tubular 9 ducts leading from the orifices 42, 43, 44 and .45 to orifices corresponding to the orifice 47 located at the upper end of the corresponding shelves 36, 37, 38 and 39.

Having described the principal parts ininto the main duct 9 and are'carried by the main duct to and through the extension duct 15*, through the orifice 43, tubular duct 49 and orifice corresponding to the orifice 47 located at the upper end of the shelf 37 so as to feed the ball on to this shelf.

When the first, second, fourth and fifth players are playing all that it is necessary to do is to spring the upwardly extending portion of the lever handle inwardly so as to carry the lug 33 out of the notch with which it is in engagement and carry the lever longitudinally of the slot 29 and into engagement with any one of the notches desired corresponding to the player about to play. By this means the extension 15 is swung so as to carry it opposite a corresponding opening 41, 42, 44 or 45 so as to feed the ball to a corresponding shelf 35, 36, 38 or 39.

From this description it will be seen that I have devised a very simple device whereby the balls may be carried from the pockets of a pool table into the rack, each ball being carried on to a shelf corresponding to the player thereof.

What I claim as my invention is.

1. In a pool table provided with the usual pockets, a tubular downwardly inclined duct having branches leading from each of the pockets, an adjustable extension to the duct, a ball rack provided with a plurality of shelves, an arc shaped trough concentric with the center of swing of the duct exten sion and against the upwardly extending wall of which the free end of the swingable duct extension fits, a series of orifices formed in the trough and with which the open end of the duct extension is designed to register and branch ducts extending from such openings to the upper end of each of the shelves of the rack, and means operated from one end of the table for swinging the duct extension to the desired position.

2. In a pool table having the usual ockets, an inclined tubular duct, a series of ranch ducts leading from each of the pockets into the tubular duct, a swingable extension to the tubular duct, a ball rack provided with a plurality of shelves, a lever located in the side rail of the table and having its manually operated end sliding parallel with the table edge designed to swingably operate the duct extension, and means for conveying the ball from the duct extension when swung to the desired position into the correspondin shelf of the rack.

3. In a pool ta le provided with the usual frame and pockets and having a longitudinal slot in the end bar of the frame, a longitudinal tubular inclined duct supported centrally beneath the table, a series of tubular branch ducts leading from each pocket into the tubular duct, a swingable duct extension supported at the lower end of the tubular duct,

a lever mechanism for swingably operating trally beneath the table, a series'of tubular branch ducts leading from each pocket into the tubular duct, a swingable duct extension supported at the lower end of the tubular duct,-a lever mechanism for swingably operating the duct extension and having a handle extending upwardly through the longitudinal slot of the table frame, a ball rack provided with a plurality of shelves, an areshaped trough member formed concentric to the center of swing of the duct extension and having circumferential orifices with which the duct extension is designed to be brought successively opposite, tubular ducts extending from such orifices to the upper end of the corresponding shelf of the rack.

5. In a pool table provided with the usual frame and pockets and having a longitudinal slot in the end bar of the frame, a longitudinal tubular inclined duct supported centrally beneath the table, a series of tubular branchducts leading from each pocket into the tubular duct, a swingable duct extension supported at the lower end of. the tubular duct, a lever mechanism for swingably operating the duct extension and having a handle extending upwardly through the lon gitudinal slot of the'table frame, a ball rack provided with a plurality of shelves, an arcshaped trough member formed concentric to the center of swing of the duct extension and having circumferential orifices with which the duct extension is designed to be brought successively opposite, tubular ducts extending from such orifices to the upper end of the corresponding shelf of the rack, and means for locln'ng the lever handle in position when the duct extension is swung opposite to any of the openings leading to a rack shelf. l 1 v a 6. In a pool table provided with the usual frame and pockets and having a longitudinal slot in the end bar of the frame, a longitudinal tubular inclined duct supported centrally beneath the table, a series of tubular branch ducts leading from each pocket into the tubular duct, a swingable duct extension supported at the lower end of the tubular duct, a lever mechanism for swingably operating the duct extension and having a handle extending upwardly through the longitudinal slot of the table frame, a ball rack provided with a plurality of shelves, an, arc-shaped trough member formed concentric to the center of swing formed in one wall of the slot and into enof the duct extension and having oircumgagement with which the upper end of the ferential orifices with which the duct extenlever handle may be sprung. sion is designed to be brought successively WILLIAM THOMPSON HAIGHT.

5 opposite, tubular ducts extending from such Witnesses:

orifices to the upper end of the correspond- M. D. MoCRIMMoN, ing shelf of the rack, a series of notches A. J. MCKENNA.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents,

Washington, D. 0. 

